Baker, EH
(2021)
Is there a safe and effective way to wean patients off long-term glucocorticoids?
Br J Clin Pharmacol, 87 (1).
pp. 12-22.
ISSN 1365-2125
https://doi.org/10.1111/bcp.14679
SGUL Authors: Baker, Emma Harriet
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Abstract
Glucocorticoids are highly effective medicines in the treatment of inflammatory disorders. However they cause severe adverse reactions, particularly where taken at high doses systemically for prolonged periods. Systemic glucocorticoids are therefore given at dosage sufficient to control the disease, then withdrawn as fast as is possible to minimise dose- and time-related adverse drug reactions without losing disease control. Adverse withdrawal reactions present a major challenge in the withdrawal of long term glucocorticoids. Suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis causes adrenal insufficiency, which is potentially life threatening and can become symptomatic as treatment is withdrawn. Adrenal insufficiency can be extremely difficult to differentiate from 'glucocorticoid withdrawal syndrome', where patients experience symptoms despite adequate adrenal function, and from psychological dependence. Long term systemic glucocorticoids should therefore be withdrawn slowly. The rate at which the dose is tapered should initially be determined by treatment requirements of the underlying disease. Once 'physiological' doses are reached, the rate of reduction is determined by rate of HPA recovery and need for exogenous glucocorticoid cover while endogenous secretion recovers. If symptoms prevent treatment withdrawal, HPA testing should be used to look for adrenal insufficiency. Patients with adrenal insufficiency require 'physiological' doses of glucocorticoids for adrenal replacement, which may be lifelong if the HPA axis fails to recover.
Item Type: |
Article
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Additional Information: |
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Baker, E. Is there a safe and effective way to wean patients off long‐term glucocorticoids? Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2021; 87: 12– 22, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/bcp.14679. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. |
Keywords: |
Glucocorticoids, adrenal insufficiency, adverse drug reactions, dose‐related, inflammatory disease, withdrawal, adrenal insufficiency, adverse drug reactions, dose‐, related, glucocorticoids, inflammatory, disease, withdrawal, Pharmacology & Pharmacy, 1115 Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences |
SGUL Research Institute / Research Centre: |
Academic Structure > Infection and Immunity Research Institute (INII) |
Journal or Publication Title: |
Br J Clin Pharmacol |
ISSN: |
1365-2125 |
Language: |
eng |
Dates: |
Date | Event |
---|
13 January 2021 | Published | 1 December 2020 | Published Online | 12 November 2020 | Accepted |
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Publisher License: |
Publisher's own licence |
PubMed ID: |
33289121 |
Web of Science ID: |
WOS:000607366100003 |
![](http://static.pubmed.gov/portal/portal3rc.fcgi/2745237/img/27842) |
Go to PubMed abstract |
URI: |
https://openaccess.sgul.ac.uk/id/eprint/113077 |
Publisher's version: |
https://doi.org/10.1111/bcp.14679 |
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